I've had the great fortune of spending some time in J. Mendel's showroom because one of my best friends works there and it's truly a breathtaking place. Fur! Chiffon! Lacy leather! A girl's dream. It's little surprise that designer Gilles Mendel was asked to design for The New York City Ballet because his creations are pure fantasy.

Speaking of fantasy, the designer was inspired by the Wisteria Tunnel at the Kawachi Fuji gardens in Japan this season, which translated into light-as-air pleated dresses, luxe fur separates (come on, you know you need a short sleeved leather and fur jacket for spring), floral embellishments, and wisteria-printed gowns.

Color-wise, the collection ranged the gamut from neutrals, to pastels, to bright purple and orange, making for a sophisticated collection that would appeal as much to a young, daring fashionista as it would to an older, conservative clientele.

TheFashionSpot's Lifestyle Editor, Sharon Feiereisen, is a freelance lifestyle writer based in New York City. Her work has been published in Newsday, The Knot, AM New York, WHERE New York, Dan's Papers, and Hamptons Magazine, among many other print and online outlets. Check out her tumblr blog, Random Happenings.